The Axeman Cometh
The Axeman Cometh is the fourth episode of the tenth series of the popular ITV crime drama Midsomer Murders and was originally aired on 2nd February 2007. Synopsis When Barnaby's favourite rock band, Hired Gun, reform to play a gig at the Midsomer Rocks Festival, paranoid lead singer Gary Cooper is convinced that someone is trying to scare them off and stop the reunion. The guitarist Jack 'Axeman' McKinley and the rest of the band are staying at Gary's estate, Badger's Hall, while they are all in town. As accidents appear to happen around the band members, will Barnaby catch the killer before they are all dead? Plot DCI Barnaby revels in the atmosphere of a major rock concert being held in Badgers Drift that features Hired Gun, an influential rock group from his youth and his personal favorite. Barnaby is soon on the job when the group's lead singer, Mimi Clifton, is electrocuted on stage during their opening number. It is quickly apparent that the equipment was tampered with and they are dealing with a case of murder. Gary Cooper, the group's nominal leader, believes the attempt was directed at him as he has been harassed and threatened for some time. He thinks his nemesis is former band member Ginger Foxton who disappeared 30 years ago, a case the then Det. Sgt. Barnaby and his DI Owen Jenkins, had worked on. When an attempt is made on a second member of the group and then a third, successfully this time, Barnaby thinks Cooper might be right. Revenge is at the center of it all, but not for the reasons that seem apparent. Cast *John Nettles as DCI Tom Barnaby *Jason Hughes as DS Ben Jones *Jane Wymark as Joyce Barnaby *Laura Howard as Cully Barnaby *Barry Jackson as Dr. George Bullard *Annie Lambert as Ingrid Peterson *Phil Davis as Gary Cooper *David Horovitch as James Hobson *James Cosmo as Jack 'Axeman' McKinley *Fiona Button as Willow McKinley *Michael Angelis as Nicky Harding *Rachel Davies as Jeannie Harding *Suzi Quatro as Mimi Clifton *Robin Weaver as Serena Stanton *Rupert Vansittart as Desmond Harcourt *Tilly Blackwood as Finola Harcourt *Sam Hazeldine as Simon Dixon *Bryan Matheson as Cedric *Ford Kenyon as Roadie *Philip Madoc as D.I. Owen Jenkins *Roger Chapman as Himself *Geno Washington as Himself *Mike Read as Himself *Steve Simpson as Guitarist *Caroline Fitch as Young Mimi *Ian Mann as (uncredited) *Brendan McCoy as Band Member (uncredited) *Antony Sendall as Barman (uncredited) *John Snowden as Detective (uncredited) *J.P. Turner as Sound Recording Engineer (uncredited) Galleries Body Count Ginger-foxton.jpg|Ginger Foxton Committed suicide by driving car off cliff into a quarry. Suicide occurred 30 years prior to the events of the episode. Mimi-clifton.jpg|Mimi Clifton Electrocuted by microphone stand that had been wired to live electrical wires. Nicky-harding.jpg|Nicky Harding Smothered by pillow while sleeping in back of Cadillac and then car was driven into a swimming pool. Supporting Cast Gary-cooper.jpg|Gary Cooper Jack-mckinley.jpg|Jack 'Axeman' McKinley Willow-mckinley.jpg|Willow McKinley Jeannie-harding.jpg|Jeannie Harding James-hobson.jpg|James Hobson Serena-stanton.jpg|Serena Stanton Desmond-harcourt.jpg|Desmond Harcourt Finola-harcourt.jpg|Finola Harcourt Simon-dixon-05.jpg|Simon Dixon Owen-jenkins.jpg|D.I. Owen Jenkins Ingrid-peterson.jpg|Ingrid Peterson Mike-read.jpg|Mike Read Episode Images The-axeman-cometh-01.jpg The-axeman-cometh-02.jpg The-axeman-cometh-03.jpg The-axeman-cometh-04.jpg The-axeman-cometh-05.jpg The-axeman-cometh-06.jpg The-axeman-cometh-07.jpg Video Notes *This episode introduced the character of Simon Dixon portrayed by Sam Hazeldize. *Michael Angelis plays a drummer in a band in this episode sort of like Ringo Starr who was the narrator of Thomas The Tank Engine before him. The following actors and actresses who appeared in this episode have also appeared in the following episodes *Tilly Blackwood - Death in Disguise *Rupert Vansittart - Market for Murder and The Dogleg Murders *Sam Hazeldine - Death and Dust, Death in a Chocolate Box and Blood Wedding *Bryan Matheson - Ghosts of Christmas Past *John Snowden - Down Among the Dead Men, Four Funerals and a Wedding, Last Year's Model, King's Crystal and They Seek Him Here *Antony Sendall - Blood on the Saddle *Ian Mann - The Night of the Stag and Death and the Divas *J.P. Turner - The Magician's Nephew Category:Series Ten episodes